Enhanced oil recovery process

Abstract

A method for recovering oil by injecting oxygen into an underground oil formation where in-situ combustion occurs. The oxygen may be co-injected with additional components to assist in the recovery of the oil, or it may be injected after the injection of the additional components sequentially. The recovered oil may be used in an integrated process above ground for the combustion and generation of power.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is: 
     
         1 . A method for in-situ combustion in an enhanced oil recovery process comprising injecting oxygen into an underground oil formation. 
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said oxygen is injected through injection wells. 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein oil is recovered from said underground oil formation through production wells. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said oil containing mixture is fed to a separator wherein oil is separated from coproduced gas and any wastes present in the recovered oil. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said wastes comprise waste liquids and solids. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said coproduced gas is fed to an integrated process for fluid separation, combustion, power generation, and fluid compression. 
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 6  wherein oxygen is injected into said integrated process. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said oxygen is produced in an oxygen production plant. 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said integrated process produces electric power for said oxygen production plant. 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said integrated process produces carbon dioxide and water. 
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said carbon dioxide is carbon capture, utilization and/or sequestration ready. 
     
     
         12 . A method for in-situ combustion in an enhanced oil recovery process comprising injecting a mixture of oxygen and a component selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, water, air and hydrocarbons into an underground oil formation. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said oxygen is injected through injection wells. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 12  wherein oil is recovered from said underground oil formation through production wells. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said oil containing mixture is fed to a separator wherein oil is separated from coproduced gas and any wastes present in the recovered oil. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  wherein said wastes comprise waste liquids and solids. 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  wherein said coproduced gas is fed to an integrated process for fluid separation, combustion, power generation and fluid compression. 
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 17  wherein oxygen is injected into said integrated process. 
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said oxygen is produced in an oxygen production plant. 
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 19  wherein said integrated process produces electric power for said oxygen production plant. 
     
     
         21 . The method as claimed in  claim 20  wherein said integrated process produces carbon dioxide and water. 
     
     
         22 . The method as claimed in  claim 21  wherein said carbon dioxide is carbon capture, utilization and/or sequestration ready. 
     
     
         23 . A method for in-situ combustion in an enhanced oil recovery process comprising sequentially injecting a component selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, water, air and hydrocarbons and then oxygen into an underground oil formation. 
     
     
         24 . The method as claimed in  claim 23  wherein said oxygen is injected through injection wells. 
     
     
         25 . The method as claimed in  claim 23  wherein oil is recovered from said underground oil formation through production wells. 
     
     
         26 . The method as claimed in  claim 25  wherein said oil containing mixture is fed to a separator wherein oil is separated from coproduced gas and any wastes present in the recovered oil. 
     
     
         27 . The method as claimed in  claim 26  wherein said wastes comprise waste liquids and solids. 
     
     
         28 . The method as claimed in  claim 26  wherein said coproduced gas is fed to an integrated process for fluid separation, combustion, power generation and fluid compression. 
     
     
         29 . The method as claimed in  claim 28  wherein oxygen is injected into said integrated process. 
     
     
         30 . The method as claimed in  claim 29  wherein said oxygen is produced in an oxygen production plant. 
     
     
         31 . The method as claimed in  claim 30  wherein said integrated process produces electric power for said oxygen production plant. 
     
     
         32 . The method as claimed in  claim 31  wherein said integrated process produces carbon dioxide and water. 
     
     
         33 . The method as claimed in  claim 32  wherein said carbon dioxide is carbon capture, utilization and/or sequestration ready.